Monday, December 10, 2012

Himpunan Hijau receives Suaram award

Himpunan
Hijau and the Murum and Baram communities have received Suaram’s Human
Rights Award for their respective efforts in pushing public awareness of
environmental and human rights issues.

Head judge of the award
Gabungan Mansuhkan ISA’s (GMI) Norlaila Othman said the judges chose two
winners this time instead of one, as both groups have displayed that
“their struggle to empower and educate the grassroots has been
consistent.”

The award was presented by Suaram director Kua Kia Soong at the KL and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall today.

Other
nominees of the award are electoral reform awareness group Undi
Malaysia and student activists Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia.
Himpunan Hijau representative Tan Woen Tian stead said that the group's struggle was an on-going endeavour.

Struggle to continue

He
said that Himpunan Hijau's next project was to block Lynas from
importing or exporting materials and holding a fasting event in Kuala
Lumpur.

“We think that Malaysians are mature enough to know what they want,” he said.

Baram Protection Committee chairperson Philip Jau thanked Suaram for the award on behalf of the people of Murum and Baram.

“This
is acknowledgement for what we have done over the years,” he said,
adding that the campaign against the dams has been ongoing since 2009.

“They have taken our timber, taken our land and now they want to destroy us completely.

“We
will continue to demand the government of Malaysia to stop the dams,”
calling for the Sarawak MPs to come forward and articulate their
problems.